25. The Trial of Love

Friday 15th March 

(for more details see here)

Pause:

You will keep the peace, a perfect peace, for all who trust in You,
for those who dedicate their hearts and minds to You.

ISAIAH 26.3 (The Voice)

 

Today's reading: John 18. 19-24

5.10 - KINGDOMS ON EARTH

Ratio, rhythm and routine are rooted in the very essence of the created order. But even for the sun, so accustomed to daily ritual, today will be no ordinary day.
Jerusalem wakes with excitement as the first morning rays, and the crow of a cockerel, announce the arrival of Passover. Children rush into the streets, dancing and singing, expressing a joy so universal even Roman soldiers cannot stifle a smile.

Standing in stark contrast, High Priest Caiaphas is a picture of frustration. His interrogation of Jesus has gone on through the night; and so far, all attempts to acquire convincing convicting evidence have merely resulted in a conflicting web of contradictions. Rising to his feet, Caiaphas bears down on his prisoner and with an aggravated snap he yells in Jesus' face, 'Are you the Christ, the Son of the blessed God?'

An arrow branches off from Caiaphas' question, directing us toward a Phase Four prophecy received during Babylonian exile.

'In my vision,' wrote Daniel, 'there was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshipped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion... His kingdom is one that will never be destroyed?

We read through the words carefully, not wanting to miss anything. In this vision, a man enters the presence of Yahweh and is given power over the earth. The man is worshipped as if He is Yahweh himself.

Shocking.
Controversial.
Inflammatory.
Daniel's face became white from fear.
Because he had seen the ultimate blasphemy.

'Are you going to answer? I'll ask you one final time. Are you the Christ?'
Jesus leans closer into Caiaphas' face.
'I am. And in the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of God, the Powerful One, and coming on clouds in the sky.'

Fury explodes.
'Kill him!" Caiaphas screeches. This is Daniel's vision.
This is the ultimate blasphemy. Fists and saliva fly into Jesus.
And the day's first drop of blood drips to the floor.

'But, but... we stutter desperately. 'This isn't blasphemy. This is truth. Jesus was conceived by the breath of Ruach. He is divine. He can enter God's presence.' Nobody seems able to hear us.
Lost in the silence, we feel totally confused. We feel convinced that Jesus is about to accomplish the Rescue Mission's most important victory. Yet we have no idea how. We understand that Jesus is the new covenant. We understand that Jesus will shed some of his blood for the forgiveness of sins, putting an end to the punishments that Justice demands, guaranteeing an unending era of kindness.

But forgiveness won't do it all; forgiveness won't ensure an everlasting paradise, will it? Ever since the first humans ate from the forbidden tree, their descendants have done the same, over and over and over again. Forgiveness won't stop humans from diminishing the beauty of the new kingdom, will it?
Jesus' kingdom must be free from all temptation.
Paradise must contain no knowledge of good and evil.
All evil must be purged; defeated and destroyed once and for all.

Another arrow branches off from Daniel's vision, leading us back to the narrative of Jesus' self- imposed exile in the desert.
'The devil took Jesus and showed him all the kingdoms of the world.'

We freeze. Devil? Who is this devil?

"The devil said to Jesus, "I will give you all these kingdoms and all their power and glory. It has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I wish."""
In Daniel's vision, the Son of Man will be given an unrelenting, indestructible kingdom. So who is this devil currently possessing kingdoms on Earth?
The arrows on the wall keep coming; they seem to be forming a trail.

'The kingdom of heaven is like a man who planted good seed in a field. That night, when everyone was asleep, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat." Jesus then explains, "The field is the world... the good seeds are all of God's children... and the enemy who planted the bad seed is the devil." The devil is the enemy, the tempter in the garden, planter of bad seed; the one who lures humans away from choosing life. Creation has been hijacked; blindfolded; tied up and held to ransom. This is the horrific, despicable work of the Hijacker.

The Hijacker has stolen power, stolen dominion over the earth. The Hijacker parades and marauds, wickedly licking his lips, revelling in his possession.

It is not the Romans that Jesus is confronting. The continuing trail of arrows reveal that Jesus is waging war against the Hijacker's kingdom, winning every battle so far. Demon by demon, Jesus is overthrowing the enemy's legions. Demon by demon, Jesus is liberating and healing,' restoring the kingdom of God. Demon by demon, the enemy is falling like lightning from the heavens. We feel faint, light-headed, overwhelmed by the sheer scale of Jesus' ambition. From a Roman revolution to the end of all evil, our understanding of Jesus' mission has just exploded exponentially. The Hijacker's kingdom must be destroyed for evermore.

Only then will paradise reign.

Reflection: The Trial of Love.

The ancient prayer of Israel was:

“The Lord bless you
and keep you;
the Lord make His face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn His face toward you
and give you peace.”

NUMBERS 6. 24-26

The ultimate blessing - to know the face of God shining full towards you... 
Radiant with joy over you
The graciousness of His loving attention
The peace of seeing God's face, and knowing He is smiling!

It was the heart cry of the people of God
It was the privilege of the priesthood to pronounce it over the people

Caiaphas, the High Priest, must have prayed it hundreds and hundreds of times.

The answer to that prayer would come - it the face of Jesus...

"For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”
made His light shine in our hearts
to give us the light of the knowledge
of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ!"

2 CORINTHIANS 4.6

Here, in this moment, Caiaphas finally comes face to face with the God whose blessing he has announced so many times. A face he has longed to see, a grace and peace he has prayed for for himself and countless others... and yet when that face appears - it is slapped for the way it spoke to him.

I am amazed at the grace of Jesus, His gentleness, His patience, His poise.

Slapped in the face by those called to minister in His Name - He still stands there.
He takes it.
He endures.
Even this indignity.

He is showing us the extent of His love - the full extent...
But that is not all He is showing us...
He stands there face to face with Caiaphas, so that one day - that ancient prayer might be answered for all of us - that we might one day finally fix our eyes on Jesus and look full in His wonderful face:

"No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and His servants will serve Him.
They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.
There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light!"

REVELATIONS 22.3-5

Questions for today:

"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."

2 CORINTHIANS 3.17-18

• What do people see when they see my face?

Prayer:

Father, thank You for Your forgiveness.
Thank You for Your patience.
Thank You for Your long-suffering kindness.
Thank You for Your overwhelming grace.

I see these qualities demonstrated in Jesus' willingness to submit to humiliation, abuse, and torture so that the very ones who hurt Him would have the opportunity to know You as their Father and find Your saving grace.
I know that same grace is given to me.
I praise You and thank You in Jesus' name.
Amen.

HEART LIGHT

 

 I prayed this.

My prayer for today: (if you would like to, please feel free to add your own prayer here):